What a criminal record check actually verifies
A South African criminal record check confirms whether a candidate has a conviction on file with the South African Police Service (SAPS). It's the single most important pre-employment check for any role involving trust, cash handling, driving, or vulnerable people.
PreAppliCheck runs the AFIS fingerprint route for speed (24–72 hours) and can escalate to a full SAPS 91(a) Police Clearance Certificate when a visa, emigration, or foreign employer requires it.
Every check is captured with POPIA-compliant digital consent and returned as a dossier-style PDF you can share with your compliance team.
What's included
Every report is a clear, dossier-style PDF with supporting evidence and a recommendation.
SAPS AFIS fingerprint check
Biometric match against the SAPS criminal database. The fastest and most accurate route.
Full SAPS 91(a) certificate
Official Police Clearance Certificate for visas, emigration or offshore employers — on request.
Fingerprint capture nationwide
At our Hillcrest office, at a PostNet, or via a mobile examiner in Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Vereeniging, Bela Bela and Barberton.
Clear PDF dossier
Result, supporting evidence, recommendation and audit trail. Ready to attach to a personnel file.
Our process
Request via contact form
Tell us how many candidates and where they're based.
We invite the candidate
Secure link, POPIA consent captured digitally.
Fingerprints captured
At our office, a PostNet, or by a mobile examiner.
Dossier delivered
PDF report emailed to you within 24–72 hours.
Often paired with
Employers running this check usually add one of these.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between a police clearance certificate and a criminal record check?+
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is the official SAPS 91(a) document, valid for 6 months and typically required for visas, emigration, or foreign employers. A criminal record check via AFIS is a faster, digital fingerprint verification against the SAPS criminal database — the standard for South African pre-employment screening. We handle both.
How long does a SAPS police clearance take?+
The official SAPS route can take 6–12 weeks. Our AFIS-based digital criminal record check comes back in 24–72 hours for most candidates, and we can escalate the full SAPS 91(a) certificate on request.
Can I get a PostNet police clearance through PreAppliCheck?+
Yes. We coordinate the fingerprint capture (at a PostNet, our office, or a mobile examiner) and process the certificate for you — one point of contact, no queues.
What is fingerprint clearance?+
Fingerprint clearance is the biometric process where the candidate's prints are captured and matched against SAPS's AFIS database. It's the most accurate way to confirm criminal history in South Africa.
Do you need the candidate's consent?+
Yes — POPIA requires explicit written consent. We capture consent digitally as part of every check.
Ready to run this check?
Send us your details and a vetting expert replies within one business day with pricing and next steps.